The ruins of Ephesus, situated near Selçuk town, is 70 kilometers away from Izmir. It is a main center of archaeological interest owing to the ancient remains that still exist.

The famous Temple of Artemis is one of the places to visit in Ephesus. It is one of the 7 wonders of the world. It was first built by the Lydian King Kroisos during 560-550 B.C. In 356 B.C. the temple was destroyed by a lunatic called Herostatus and rebuilt in same size but with a height of 3m by the citizens of Ephesus. The temple was the biggest temple of the Hellenistic period with a dimension of 55.10 x 115 m. It was not reconstructed again after being collapsed by the Gots in 262. Some of the column bases of the temple are ornamented with raised relief design. Today, two marble statues of the goddess Artemis can be seen in the nearby archaeological museum. Some other friezes are in British Museum in London.

Ephesus Celsus Libraryis the most important remains of the Ephesus antient city. Built during the Roman Period in 115-117, it survived a fire in the year 260. It is famous for its striking architecture of its two-story facade. Three rows of recesses in the inner walls of the library were used to store rolls of script.